Mark Menzies has been booted out of the Tory party (Image: PA)
A Tory MP has been suspended by the party over claims he misused campaign funds and abused his position – allegations he strongly denies.
Mark Menzies, the Conservative MP for Fylde and a Government trade envoy, reportedly made a late-night phone call saying he had been locked up by “bad people” who were demanding thousands of pounds.
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The MP has since lost the Tory whip, which means he is effectively expelled from the parliamentary party and must sit as an independent, while an investigation is conducted.
He allegedly rang an elderly local party volunteer at 3.15am in December saying he was locked in a flat and needed ￡5,000 as a matter of “life and death”.
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The sum, which rose to ￡6,500, was paid by his office manager from her personal bank account and subsequently reimbursed from campaign funds raised from donors.
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It has been suggested that ￡14,000 given by donors for use on Tory campaign activities had previously been transferred to Menzies’s personal bank account and used for his private medical expenses.
The Conservative Party has been aware of the allegations of potential fraud for more than three months and has taken no action.
The MP allegedly rang his 78-year-old former campaign manager, to ask her to hand over thousands of pounds from a bank account containing donations to the MP’s campaign.
A source close to Menzies, 52, said the MP had met a man on an online dating website and gone to the man’s flat, before subsequently going with another man to a second address where he continued drinking.
He was sick at one point and several people at the address demanded ￡5,000, claiming it was for cleaning up and other expenses.
The source said the MP had offered to repay this sum, but claimed local Tories controlling the account said he did not need to.
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The Conservative Party is investigating allegations made regarding a member of parliament. This process is rightfully confidential.
“The party takes all allegations seriously and will always investigate any matters put to them.”
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Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper MP said: "It is frankly appalling that the Conservative party have known about this scandal for more than three months and have failed to do anything about it.
“When our national security faces threats on many fronts, it is deeply concerning that some MPs are so open to traps, threats and manipulations.
"Rishi Sunak must suspend the Whip for Mark Menzies immediately, while all the relevant authorities investigate the matter."
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